A World of Difference: iPad developer Days Of Wonder Responds to UK Press

Stories of video/computer game obsession are not new, but a news article about a mom in the UK convicted for neglecting her children and let her dogs starve to death for playing Small Worlds obsessively on Facebook stirred up an even more bizarre controversy – this time involving Days of Wonder’s Small World for iPad, erroneously tagged as the culprit.

The unnamed mother was charged and convicted for three charges of child cruelty and two of animal neglect, and is serving a suspended sentence with 75 hours of unpaid work.

Reports from various publications and online news reports have all borrowed images and descriptions from the Small World website, even after Days of Wonder’s official statement about the matter:

While unable to spend a few minutes fact-checking to learn that their story could not be possibly true (Small World has no online play – the only digital version is the two player Small World for iPad); they were able to search our website to download graphics of the board game and further smear our name.

According to their Facebook page, Small Worlds is “a free, online 3D virtual world with amazing graphics. You can meet friends, adopt a pet, play games, do missions, listen to music, watch videos and so much more!” It’s certainly a far cry from the digital version of the hugely popular board game which requires no internet connection, only an iPad and loads of strategy, to enjoy.

The verdict is still out on whether the UK press will clear the name of Days of Wonder and their popular iPad game which is “not responsible for killing dogs or neglecting children.”